Card title holder



Aug. 15, 1950 H. H. VANDERZEE CARD TITLE HOLDER Original Filed Feb. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

WLM "4M" ZW 15, 1950 H. H. VANDERZEE 2,519,299

CARD TITLE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 2; 1948 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950* *CARD TITLE HOLDER Harry Herbert Vanderzee, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Ami, Incorporated, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Original application February 5,854. Divided and this application 1948, Serial No. 56,493

This invention is directed to the provision of an improved title holder adaptedQfor example, to display title identification cards of the multiple record selections available on an automatic phonograph, and the present specification is a divielon of my copending application Serial No. 5,854, illled February 2, 1948.

In any automatic phonograph or the like it is of obvious advantage to have means for displaying the titles of the various records carried in the machine in such a manner that they may be large, well illuminated and held at a convenient reading angle. This has heretofor been quite difficult of accomplishment in machines capable of reproducing a large number of selections, however, since if the individual title cards are made large enough to be easily readable at a convenient distance the overall dimensions of the title holder display also become so large as to be ob ectionable where space is limited. This is particularly true in connection with remote control stations for an automatic phonograph wherein the control mechanism is housed within a small box or cabinet having a very limited area in which the titles of the available selections may be presented.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a novel and improved holder for cards such as the title cards identifying phonograph record selections, so that the individual cards may be relatively large, yet wherein the parts are so arranged that a large number of cards may be held in compact arrangement so that the device is well suited to installations where the area available for title display is limited.

A further object of the invention is to provide a title holder well suited to use in remote control units, for example, where interior space to house the operating mechanism is also limited. Specifically, this contemplates a remote control Wall box for a phonograph wherein the titles are mounted. on an endless chain arranged to extend around the working parts of. the mechanism within the box, so that the structures of the title holder and of the selection mechanism may be closely nested together. Thus it is feasible to provide a comparatively small unit having a sufificiently compact arrangement of parts so that its outer dimensions may be held within permissible limits without unnecessarily limiting the size of the individual Working parts.

Another important object is to provide a title card holder designed so that the individual cards are held at a convenient reading angle and can be adequately illuminated, yet so arranged that 5 Claims. (or. 40-96) 2, 1948, Serial No. October 26,

the cards are illuminated without objectionable shadows or glare.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by the teachings of this invention by the provision of a title holder in the general form of a broad,'flat chain or belt made up of a plurality of long narrow slats pivoted to each other but so designed that the individual slats each lie at an acute angle .with respect to the general plane of the belt. This holds the individual title cards at a convenient reading angle and aids in providingade= quate illumination to their face surfaces, since light projected against the rear'face of the belt may be reflected downwardly from a polished re flective surface in the back of each'slat onto'the face of the identificationcardmounted cm the next slat below. The invention also contemplates the provision of a title holder of the chain'form described, with the chain itself mounted between large upper and'lower pairs of sprockets ,to'provide a vertical display surface along the front span of the chain with the rear span spaced well back. of the front, to define a relatively large interior space within the loop of the chain. This space may conveniently house any desired form of remote control mechanism so that the title holder and the operating mechanism nest together to require a minimum amount of space.

The form of the invention chosen as best illustrative of the inventive concept herein is illustrated in detail in the drawings of this specification wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a phonograph Wall box; that is, a remote control selector unit adapted to control the operation of an automatic phonograph; 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 2-'2 of Figure 1 showing theconstruction of the titleholder disclosed herein and the preferred manner of mounting the title holder within box; and I 1 Figure 3 is a face view of a few links of the title holder chain,'showing the individual slatsthereoi with the longitudinal channels in which the title identification cards are supported.

In the embodiment of the invention here shown the title holder according to these teachings is incorporated into a wall box remote control unit including the housing having one or more coin chutes It so that the action of the machine can be initiated by the insertion of a coin. =.The housing has a transparent front Window i2 so that the various title identificationcards 43 listing the records available in .themachine may'wbe seen the housing of thewalll through the Window. According to this invention these title cards are mounted on an endless chain so that they may be passed before the window in turn by the rotation of selector knobs l5 which are inwardly geared to the sprockets on which the chain is mounted. Thus the various cards representingthe records available in the :machine may be moved upwardly or downwardly across an indicator mark I4,- it being understood, of course,

that by positioning any title card against the selector I4 and actuating the push button #6 the remote control mechanism .of :the wall box will function to actuate the phonographin 'azmann to play the record selected.

The title holder is in the form of .an .endless chain 3|, the upper end of which passes over and is carried on a pair of sprockets 32 fixed at the opposite ends of a horizontal shaft 33. The chain loop hangs down from the sprockets 32 to similar lower sprockets SI, and is positioned with the dmnt span ciinmediatehl inside the glass .of the window I2 and its back span spaced Well back the .span to provide an open space within thechain loop for mounting the working parts of the selector mechanism. The shaft 33 is journaled in 'a pair of sideplates 34, which are in iturnlsnpportedrbyany suitable means. The sprockets :32 eachincludezahub in the form of an outwardly projecting gear 31, each of which averhangs the brackets 21 .and'mesh with one of arpair otflber gears '38 carried on the inner ends of the :stub shafts 39 of the selector knobs l5. The chain 31 consists of a multiplicity of identical links, 'eachhaving a flat channel portion 4! with :side. flanges 42 along its upper and lower cdgesnso. athata title card 48 carrying the :name of one of'the :record selections may be slid into position from. the right-hand end of the channel. A stop portion 44 :is struck from the back of the panel :(Figure .3) at a point near its left hand edge to limit,:thednward movement of the title cards :and'to .locate a selection number 4-5, which :may be :in the form of a plastic card also slid into the channel and held .in place by a small tab. in.

The opposite endsof the individual channels are bent .back to form link portions 41 and are pierced so that the several links ma be joined by pins =58 to form a continuous chain. These pins-rare preferably :headed, as indicated at 49, and-small :tabs 5! are struck from the metal of the links to overlie the head of each pin and prevent the chain from becoming disassembled. The link portions '41 of each channel are not exactly parallel with reach other, but diverge slightly from the upper ends toward the lower ears 52 so that the lower ears of each link may overlie the upper portions 'of the adjoining link without'binding. The lower loop of the chain passesnarounda lower pair of sprockets 6| mounted .011 m. floating axle shaft 62, which extends through a pair of bayonet slots in the side plates 34.

.It-ais; to be ,noted that the card receiving surface of the individual channels is not parallel with the length of the chain, but is at an acute angle thereto, so that the lowermost :edge of each of .theichannels :behind the window I2 overhangs the uppermost edge of the .channel immediately below it. This arrangement defines a mhstantia'lgap 53 between adjacent channels, andpernnts light to pass through .the chain from a :source. behind it, but since the back surface .of :each channel is .bn'ghtly polished, the M surfaces of ea'ch .act :as a 'mirror to reflect 4 this light back downwardly to the face of the title selection cards. Thus all of the cards behind the window may be brilliantly illuminated, yet displayed without glare and without a visible source of illumination.

Illumination for the title cards is provided by a plurality of small incandescent lamps 54 mounted in suitable sockets between a reflector 55 and a translucent diifusing sheet 56, which is secured to the opposite ends 0f the reflector and positioned in a plane immediately behind the forward span of the chain, and since there are several lamps positioned at different points along the forward span of the chain it will be seen that their combined effect will be to produce substantially uniform lighting of the diffusing plate, from which the light is directed. to the polished back surfaces of each channel and back down on the title cards.

Any desired selection on the phonograph may be made by manually manipulating one of the knobs +5, to rotate shaft 39 and pinion 38 to :rotate the gears 3'7 and sprockets 32 and move therchain 3| to bring the desired title card adjacent -the indexing market M. A step-by-step motion is accomplished by a detent including a notched wheel 5'! on the inner'face of one of the sprockets 32 and a detent roller 58 on a spring urged lever or rocker arm -59. This detent iacilitates accurate alignment of the title cards with the marker 14, and prevents the chain from coming to rest in a position between two of the cards.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the "teachings of this invention depart from prior expedients in a manner to facilitate the eilective display of the title cards in such a manner that the individual titles may be relatively large and consequently easy to read, yet a comparatively large number of title cards can be incorporated into a machine in a compact and space-saving arrangement.

Further, each individual title card is held at a convenient reading angle, yet is clearly illuminated by d-ifiused, reflected light, emanating from a glare proof source. In addition, the title holder is of relatively simple mechanical construction in which each of the individual links are identical with the other so that it is well suited to mass production methods of manufacture and can be produced economically on conventional types of machinery, yet will be rugged in use and not greatly subject to wear or damage. The endless loop form .in which the holder is here disclosed is .of particular advantage in providing of space saving nesting arrangement with the operating parts of the remote control mechanism, since the title holder lies closely adjacent the walls Of the housing and extends. around the operating mechanism. This provides adequate space for the selector mechanism within the confines of the chain loop itself.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent:

1. A title holder comprising an endless chain consisting of multiple links, with each link having a relatively long, narrow longitudinal channel extending transversely of the length of the chain; the chain being supported on a pair of sprockets at the upper end and having front and back spans hanging downwardly from the sprockets; with the surface of each channel at an acute angle with respect to the length of the chain span, whereby the lowermost edge of each channel in the front span overhangs the uppermost edge of the next lower channel; together with title cards in the channels, and an inclined reflector surface on the rear of each channel adapted to direct light downwardly and rearwardly to illuminate the title card in the next lower channel.

2. A title holder comprising an endless chain consisting of multiple links, with each link having a relatively long, narrow longitudinal surface extending transversely of the length of the chain; the chain being supported on a pair of sprockets at the upper end and having front and back spans hanging downwardly from the sprockets; with the surface of each link at an acute angle with respect to the length of the chain span, whereby the lowermost edge of each link in the front span overhangs the uppermost edge of the next lower link; together with a reflector surface on the rear of each link adapted to direct light downwardly and rearwardly to illuminate the next lower link.

3. A title holder comprising a chain consisting of multiple links, with each link having a relatively long, narrow longitudinal channel extending transversely of the length of the chain; the chain being supported on a pair of sprockets at the upper end and having a substantially vertical span hanging downwardly from the sprockets; with the surface of each channel at an acute angle with respect to the length of the chain span, whereby the lowermost edge of each channel in the front span overhangs the uppermost edge of the next lower channel; together with title cards in the channels, and an inclined reflector surface on the rear of each channel adapted to direct light downwardly and rearwardly to illuminate the title card in the next lower channel.

4. A title holder comprising an endless chain consisting of multiple links, with each link having a relatively long, narrow longitudinal channel extending transversely of the length of the chain with the surface of each channel at an acute angle with respect to the length of the chain, whereby the lowermost edge of each channel overhangs the uppermost edge of the next lower channel to permit light to pass through the chain; together with title cards inserted in the channels.

5. A title holder comprising a chain consisting of multiple links, with each link having a relatively long, narrow longitudinal channel extending transversely of the length of the chain with the surface of each channel at an acute angle with respect to the length of the chain, whereby one edge of each channel overhangs the adjoining edge of the next adjacent channel to permit light to pass through the chain; together with title cards inserted in the channels.

HARRY HERBERT VANDERZEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following'references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 129,598 Jolly June 2, 1903 991,678 Wastell May 9, 1911 1,158,849 Reid Nov. 2, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 399,651 France Apr. 28, 1909 

